In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Go in cold, and you're likely to emerge with your blood boiling. This has to be seen to be believed.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

SYNOPSIS: A well-to-do British farmer decides to take a wifeCOMMENT: This, of course, is a silent movie. one of Hitchcock's earliest endeavors. Because of the Hitchcock name and popularity (and the fact that the copyright has expired), "The Farmer's Wife" is currently available on at least six DVD labels. At the time I wrote my original review, St Clair had the best copy. but it may not be still available from that source. "The Farmer's Wife" features nice sharp photography by Jack Cox, plus several really ingratiating performances (particularly by the really charming Lillian Hall-Davis).The St. Clair DVD is augmented by an adroit music score which makes light work of of the movie's comparatively long running time of 129 minutes. And to my surprise, Hitch proves himself - even at this early stage of his career - to be a master of bucolic, domestic comedy, despite actor Gordon Harker's continuous efforts to impose his own brand of stage-struck slapstick. Fortunately, Hitch keeps Harker firmly in his place. All told, "The Farmer's Wife" is a really enjoyable experience!

I wish I would have seen the shortened version because 2 hours 9 mins was to long for this movie,, I like silent movies and I have a Russian Silent that's 4 hours long,, Miss Mend,, and it's a much better movie.. I don't know why I didn't like it but I can sure speculate,, there's no action what so ever,, no suspense,, basically in a nutshell the story is about a man who sees his young daughter get married,, and him being a widow he figures it's about time to get his life together and find someone,, he goes through a couple of different woman, and just cant' seem to find the right one.. to me it seems like there was a lot that should have been cut from the movie, because it was entirely too long,, maybe I will have to watch it again,, and see if I can find something about the movie that I like,, but until then...

If you loved Sir Alfred Hitchcock and his contributions and services to the film industry, you should see all of his films for study and preservation. This is one of his early silent films. If you have the patience to watch a two hour silent film, it's not that easy. We're so used to speeches and conversations that we forget to watch and see their facial reactions in the early age of cinema. This film is more comedic than dark and dramatic. While the story is more farcical, it is nice to see Hitchcock have a sense of humor since he became more known for the macabre in his films. It is not hard to believe that film audiences didn't laugh and enjoy this film in the cinema in 1928 long before the Great Depression. Still, I would watch it again if I had too. It's not a bad film. You wouldn't know Hitchcock directed it.

Watching the mostly-unimpressive early films of Alfred Hitchcock is a price that we director completists must pay for our enthusiasm. Aside from 'The Lodger (1927),' the first film that distinctly possesses the air of a classic Hitchcock thriller, most of his silent films are rather feeble affairs. Still unsure of his strengths, the future Master of Suspense trialled both melodramas, such as 'Easy Virtue (1928),' and comedies, such as 'The Farmer's Wife (1928).' Viewing these early efforts is often worthwhile, since, even though their quality may not be ideal, it's usually easy to pick out the unique and original film-making techniques that – with the aid of hindsight – broadcast the arrival of a genius. Stylistically, 'The Farmer's Wife' shows nothing that could be described as classically "Hitchcockian." Apart from the neat (but not unique) trick of cross-fading each potential bride into the opposite chair, there's nothing to suggest that this is the craft of a keen new innovator in the cinematic language; any play adaptation from that period to sure to look much the same.Fortunately, the film's saving grace comes from the fact that Hitchcock was among the authors of the screenplay, adapted from a play by Eden Phillpotts. It is in the writing, not the visuals, that Hitch's famed talents come shining through, and his wicked sense of humour is simply unmistakable. This is most readily noticed in the story's somewhat-sadistic treatment of Samuel Sweetland's prospective brides, whose overblown faults are emphasised and mocked to the point of cruelty. This unique dark streak adds some liveliness to the otherwise-dull romantic hijinks, and Lillian Hall-Davis' quiet, sincere housekeeper, Minta, serves as a pleasant counterpoint to the parade of grotesque suitors whom our main protagonist first considers for marriage. Jameson Thomas {whom you'll also briefly glimpse in 'The Invisible Man (1933)' and 'Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)'} is impressive in the main role, showing some convincing emotion as he snaps briskly from confidence, to anger and, finally, to desperation, as his repeated marriage proposals are rejected by generally-undesirable women.Except for Thomas, who soon travelled to Hollywood and contributed plenty of small roles, most of the cast is unnotable. Considering Lillian Hall-Davis' subtle, heartfelt performance, I was saddened to hear of her suicide in 1933 – is it just me, or did a lot of actors end their lives in a such a way during the 1930s? There's really little else to say about 'The Farmer's Wife.' Some Hitchcockians will undoubtedly cherish the director's wicked sense of humour {which later found its most pure form in 'The Trouble with Harry (1955)}, while others will find themselves losing concentration as the entirely predictable romantic plot unfolds. This is one strictly for the Alfred Hitchcock completists, but even those intrepid souls should tread carefully. I consider it fortunate that the VHS copy I found apparently ran the film at a increased frame-rate, cutting the running-time to just over 100 minutes; I'm quite sure that playing over two hours would have constituted overstaying its welcome.